Wire reel construction



May 16, 1944.

R. K. HATCH WIRE REEL CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. l0, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet l n4 Z lg9 INVENTOR BY c ATT NEYS.

May 16, 1944. R. K. HATCH WIRE REEL CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 10, 1941 6 Sheets-Shea?l 2 INVENTOR przaJ/f dic/12".

2 eff' ATT NEYS' R. K. H''T'H 2,348,904

WIRE REEL CONSTRUCTION v Filed Sept. 10, 1941 6 Sheets-Shea?l 5 May 16, 1944.

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WIRE REEL CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 10, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATT NEYs.

May 16, 1944. R. K. HATCH WlRE REEL CONSTRUCTION Filed sept. 1o, 1941 6 Sheets-Sheet f5 INVENTOR 'QM 7%.:1-4 ATT NEY5.

May 1'6, 1944. R. K. HATCHv 2,348,904

' WIRE REEL CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. l0, 1941 6 Sheetsf-Sheet 6 INVENTOR Patented May 16, 1944 WraE REEL CONSTRUCTION Ronald K. Hatch, Highland Park, Mich., assignor to Gar Wood Industries, Inc., Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application September 10, 1941, Serial No. 410,304

(ci. 25er-V187) 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to Winches and particularly relates to wire reel Winches Which are adapted for mounting on automotive vehicles.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide improvements in the drives for Wire reels.

Another object of the invention is to provide improvements in drives for devices of the type mentioned in which the speed of the Wire may be kept constant as the wire Winds up or pays out on the reel.

Another object of the invention is to providev a friction drive for devices of the type mentioned in which there is a predetermined, constant pressure between the driving and driven elements of the drive when in operation, and wherein such pressure may be adjusted to the desired amount.

Another object of the invention is to provide improvements in devices of the type mentioned by which a constant pull may be applied to the wire, and in the event the pull of the wire exceeds a predetermined amount, the drive is relieved during the period of excess pull so that such excess pull Will not break the Wire.

Another object of the invention is to provide improvements in the operating mechanism for wire reels, whereby a brake is applied When the driving means reaches full reel position.

y Otherobjects of the invention Will become apparent from Athe followingspecication, the drawings relating thereto, and from the claims hereina-iter set forth.

.In the drawings, in which like numerals are used to designate like parts in the several views throughout:

Figure lis a side elevational view, With parts in cross-section, of one embodiment of a wire reel having incorporated therein features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational View of the ture shown in Fig. 1;

struc- Fig. 3 is a top rplan view With parts broken away, and parts in cross-section, of the structure shown in Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic, elevational vieW, With parts broken away, illustrating certain details of the structure shown in Figs. 6 to 8 and showing the parts in a different operating position.

In certainV respects, the present invention relates to improvements over the structure disclosed in the Heath Patent No. 2,008,612, granted July 16, 1935.

Referring to the drawings and referring particularly to Figs. 1 through 5 thereof, one em bodiment of applicants invention is illustrated which comprises a wire reel unit adapted to be mounted on the chassis of an automotive vehicle, or the like. Such unit includes a standard generally indicated at I which is frame-like in form and which includes a rectangular base I2, up right end members I4 and I6, and a central upstanding member I8. The end members I4 and I6 include transversely extending channel-shaped members 28 and 22 and a horizontal top member 213.A Longitudinally extending frame members 2S connect the end members I4 and I6, are spaced above the rectangular bottom I2, and are disposed at the front and rear side of the frame.

A pair of wire reels 28 are mounted upon the standard and the mountings and drives for each of the reels are substantially identical, the construction being symmetrical in form. Each of the reels is mounted upon a square shaft 30; and aligned bearings 32, 34, and 36 are mounted upon the upper horizontal portions of members I, I8, and I6, respectively. Each of such bearings is provided with a circular bearing opening therethrough and is adapted to rotatably receive therein a bearing element 38. There are two of such bearing elements received within the central bearing 34, each of Which is adapted to receive therein the inner end of one of the shafts 3U. The bearing elements 38 are provided with square, broached apertures 4B therethrough which slidably receive therein the square shaft 3i). Each of the reels is likewise provided with an axial opening therethrough which is likewise square for the reception of the square shaft 3U. It will thus be seen that if the bearing elements 38 in the end bearings 32 and 36 are rotated, the shaft, and consequently the spool 28, are driven.

The shafts 30 are so constructed and arranged with respect to the reels 28 and to the bearing elements that they may be readily removed therefrom so that the reels may be quickly removed and replaced. f 'I'he Aouter ends of the shafts 30 project beyond the ends of the bearings 32 and 36 and are formed with an annular groove 42 therein. A plate member 44 is connected to the frame and has a latch 46 which has one end thereof pivotally connected to the plate 44 by means of a pin 48. The opposite end of the latch 65 is provided with a pin 59 through which a spiral spring 52 is secured, with the opposite end thereof attached to the plate 44. Thus, the latch 46 is urged into the annular groove ll2'so that the shaft 39 cannot be axially displaced.

The reels 28 may thus be removed from their mounting in the standard by releasing the latch i6 and withdrawing the square shafts 39.

In order to support the reels when theshafts are removed or being removed and to supportl the.

eries of the reels 28 and are pivotally mounted upon a transversely extending shaft 56 which is mounted in the end members of the standard. The skids 54 are generally similar to those disclosed in the Heath patent referred to above and are elongated in form and are so positioned as to form track-ways for supporting the reels when they are being removed from the standard or mounted thereto. The skids 54' are xed against axial displacement on the shaft 58', so that they will remain properly positioned in respect to the peripheral edges of the reels.

In order to controllably drive each of the reels, independent means are provided by which a constant pull may be applied to the wire. The drives for each of the reels are similar to each other so that detailed description of one will be suicient for an understanding of the drives for both.

The source of power for driving both of the reels may be taken from the power take-off of an automotive engine', when the Vunit is mounted upon an automotive vehicle, or may be taken from an independent power unit when the reel'is not mounted upon a truck. The shaft of the power take-off is indicated at' 58 and has a sprocket wheel 69'keyed thereto for rotation therewith. A pair of drive shafts is mountedk on the standard having the ends of each of'suchshafts disposed within bearings 62 which are mounted upon the frame members 26. Driving sprockets 64" are keyed to the shaft 68; and a sprocket chain 65 is trained about the sprockets 64 and about the sprockets 59 for'driving the shafts 68.

Each of the shafts 66 is splined throughout the major portion of its length between the frame members 26 and has mounted thereon a driving wheel B6. 'Such wheel 66 has a longitudinally grooved central bore therethrough, which is complementary in shape to the cross-sectional con'- iiguration of the splined shaft 60, so that such wheel is driven upon rotation of the shaft 66 and may be moved axially thereof. The peripheral surfaceA of the wheel 66 is adapted to frictionally engage the front face of a driven disc 68 so that the wheel 'drives the disc 68 when in engagement therewith. The speed of drive of the disc 68 is determined by the radial position of the driving wheel 66 with respect to the axis of the disc 68. Y

The discv 68 has a hub portion 'ID which is keyed to a splined portion of a shaft l2. The splined portion of the shaft 12 is received within the hub portion 'l0 so that the discSB may move axially with respect to theshaft, but is driven mounted within a; bearing 1.4 which is.V mounted upon a frame member 16, extending between the frame members 26 and connected thereto.

The opposite end of the shaft l2 is mounted within a suitable bearing 18 which, in turn, is mounted upon one of the end members I4 and i6.

The disc member 68 is provided with a central, tapered recess 80 formed in the front face thereof which joins with an annular central recess 82. An annular, stop'disc 84 is-lxed to the front end of the shaft l2 by means of a screw 86 in order to limit the axial movement of the disc member 88 in one direction, or in the direction toward the wheel 66. When the wheel '66 is so positioned thatY it' is aligned with the axis of the shaft 12, such wheel is received within the tapered recess 88 and is out of engagement with the disc 68. When, however, the wheel 66 is moved to either side of the axis of the shaft 72, it frictionally engages the face of the disc 68. When on one side of the axis, the wheel 66 drives the disc 68 in one direction; and `when on the other side of the axis, the wheel 68 drives the disc 68' in the opposite di rection. The speed-of the wire may thus be keptk constant for either reeling or paying out by the radial position of the wheel 66 with respect to the axis of the disc.

In order to resiliently urge the members 66 and -68 into frictional engagement with each other, so that there is a predetermined, constant pressure between these members and by which the pressure may be adjusted to the desired amount, resilient means are provided which include a spiral spring 88 which embracesv the shaft' 12. One ofA the ends of such spring abuts against a washer 98 which surrounds-shaft 'l2 and which, in turn, abuts against the inner end of the hubA portion 18 of the disc 68. The opposite end of the spring 88 abuts against another washer 92, surrounding shaft 12, which is adjustably limitedinits movement by meansof a nut 94 and a lock nut 96 which are received upon the threaded portion of the shaft 12. Thus, by adjusting the nuts. 94 and 96 the pressure of the spring 88 may'be adjustably Varied so as to predetermine the driving pressure between members 66 and 68.

The drive from shaft 'I2 is transferredV to the shaft 38 so as tcfdrive the reel 28- by means ,ofI a sprocket wheel98; which is keyed to the shaft 72 and a sprocket-wheel 99 which is mounted upon an annular portion I0! of the adjacentend'bearing 38. A sprocket chain I 62 is trained about the sprockets 98 and 99, and suchV sprocketsandl chain may be enclosed within a` suitable lhousing |04. l

A tubular portion |86, which is integral with: member 32, is disposed in surroundinglrelati'onship to the shaft 38v to a position close tothe' ad jacent side of the reel 28. 1 r It wil1 thus be seen that when the shaft 68; is driven, the disc. 68 is drivenat aspeedidepending upon the position of the member'fwithirc spect to themember 68. The Shaft' 3.0 andlitsjreel 28 are correspondingly driven through'thebear# ing 38 and the associated. driving. mechanismsv wthshaft 12. s

The. resilient means for urging' the disc 68 into frictional engagement with the wheel 66 provide a construction by which a constant pull may be applied to the'wi're,v andin the eventthe pull of. the wire exceeds. apredetermined amount, the drive is relieved duringl this period of,V excess pullY sor thatsuch excesszpull will. not. break the` wire. The reasonior this. is.that;the ratio. of the diam. eter.` of the driving'and'.d'riverrdiscs is .proportional to the wire radius on the reel at the various positions.

Easily operable means are provided for varying the positions of the member 66 along the shaft 60, and, therefore, with respect to the element 68; so that the speed of the drive may be varied in order to keep the speed of the incoming wire substantially constant as such wire winds upon the reel. l

Such means to include a ball bearing assembly mounted in embraced relationship to the hub portionv ofthe wheel 66 Aand secured thereto. The

ball bearingfunit comprises an inner, annular` cage member which embraces the hub portion of the wheel 66 and an outer cage member ||2, with ball bearings ||4' disposed therebetween. The outer cage member ||2 is embraced by an annularlmember ||6 which is provided with an annular groove ||8 therein.

v.A shifting yoke member |20 is provided which has depending fingers |22. Such fingers are received within the annular groove ||8 so as to engage the side walls of the groove |18 and to move, or shift, the wheel 66 as the yoke member |20 is shifted. Such yoke member |20 is slidably mounted upon a pair of parallel shafts |24 which are disposed above the shaft 60 and parallel thereto. The ends of the shafts |24 may be suitably mounted upon the frame members 26. Shafts |26 are disposed along the sides of the frame members 26, on the outer sides thereof, and are mounted Within the suitable bearing brackets |28. Such shafts have sprockets |32 keyed thereto and sprockets |30 mounted thereon which are keyed to the shaft on one side of the unit and idle on the opposite side. There are thus a pair of oppositely aligned sprockets |30 which have a sprocket chain |34 trained therearound. One of the links of the sprocket chain |34 is connected to the yoke member |20 by means of angle brackets |36. When the sprockets |80 are turned, in either direction, the yoke |26 is moved in a corresponding direction, along the rods |24, to 'thereby shift the drive wheel 66 along the shaft 60.

The sprocket |32 is connected to another sprocket |38, by means of a sprocket chain |40. The sprocket |38 is keyed to a stub shaft |42 which is mounted within a suitable bearing bracket |44 and which has the opposite end connected to a hand wheel |46. Thus, when the wheel |46 is turned, Ywhich may be conveniently done by the operator, the member 66 is shiftedy axially of the shaft I60 through the mechanism described above.

As mentioned above, it will be understood that the drives for the two reels 28, and including Athe means for Vvarying .the speeds of such drive,

are similar for both of the reels.

One of the sprockets |30 for each of the reels 28 is an idler sprocket and is not keyed to the shaft |26. It will be understood that one of the wheels |46 is for shifting one. of the reels While the other wheel is for shifting the other reel. The sprocket |30 on the side of the frame opposite to that of its wheel |46 is the idler sprocket while that sprocket on the shaft adjacent its wheel |46 is keyed to the shaft |26.

A brake is provided for braking the disc 68 and includes a braking portion |48 and a foot pedal portion |50. Such brake may be pivotally mounted upon a shaft |60 which may have the ends thereof received within suitable bearing brackets mounted on the frame. The braking portion |48 has a shoe surface |62 which is adapted to frictionally engage the peripheral edge |64 of the disc 68. There is, of course, one of such brakes provided for each of the discs `|58 and such brakes are preferably arranged in the reverse positions as shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to Figs. 6 to 9, a modified form of the present invention is illustrated. In the structure here illustrated, the mounting frame, the reels, the mounting for the reels, and the drive for the reels, are substantially the same as in the embodiment described above. The specific differences in this embodiment relate particularly to the means for shifting the driving element 66, the means connecting the power take-off to the drive shafts 60, and the means for automatically applying a brake to the peripheral surfaces |64 of the driven disc 68.

' A sprocket chain |50, corresponding to the sprocket chain 65 above described, is connected to the power take-olf sprocket |52 whichl is mounted upon a shaft |54. The shaft |54 is part of a gear reduction unit indicated at |56,

such unit being mounted upon the frame |0.

The gear reduction unit |56 is of conventional construction and is connected in a conventional manner with a conventional reversing gear box |58. Such gear box |58 has the usual shifting lever |60 connected thereto through a link |62. The shifting lever |60 is pivotally connected to a-suitable bracket |64 which is mounted upon one of the uprights of the frame.

A shaft |66 projects outwardly from the gear box |58 and is operatively associated therewith so as to drive a sprocket wheel |68, which is keyed to the shaft. The sprocket chain |10 is trained about the sprocket wheel |68 and about the sprockets 64 for driving shafts 60. The wheel 66 is\ thus driven and in turn drives the disc 68 at a speed and direction depending upon the position of such Wheel 66 with respect to the axis of the shaft 12.

The means for shifting the wheels 66 are substantially identical for each of the reels so' that a description of one will be sufcient for an understanding of the details of both. Each of such shifting means includes a shifting lever |10 which is pivotally connected to the frame member 20'by means of a pivot shaft |12 spaced upwardly from the lower end thereof.

An outwardly offset member |14 is welded to the lower end of the member |10 and is substantially parallel thereto providing a space therebetween. Elongated, aligned slots |16 are provided in the members |10 and |14 adjacent the lower ends thereof and receive therethrough a pin member |11. Such pin member extends through a pivot aperture formed in the upper end of a link |18 which is received within the space between the member |14 and the lower end of lever |10. The member |18 slopes downwardly in a direction opposite to that of the normal position of the lever |18, as best shown in Fig. 9. The lower end of such member |18 is keyed to a pivot shaft Which may be mounted in suitable brackets and which extends across the frame to a position underneath its corresponding shaft 60.

A yoke arm |82 is provided with a hub portion which embraces the shaft |80 and is keyed thereto. The upper end of the yoke arm is formed with upwardly extending fingers |84 having the upper ends thereof formed with a. forked groove as shown at |85 and which extend upwardly to diametrically opposed positions adjacent the member ||6. Such member ||6 is provided with diametrically opposed, outwardly projecting. pins ltwhich are adapted to be slid-- ably received Within. the slotted forks |85.

It will. thus be. seen that as the lever is shifted, the lever |18 is rocked, thus rocking the shaft. |80 and rocking the yoke member |82, to thereby shift the wheel 66 axially of the shaft El), to thereby Vary the speed of the. drum. 68.

In this construction, in order to keep the throw of the levers within practical limits, the wheel G5. can only be shifted on one side ofthe shaft 12. Thus, the .lever |18 will not reverse the direction of rotation of the disc', but such reversal is effected by the lever |60 throughits connection to the reversing gear box unit |58;

Means are. provided forautomatically braking the drum 68. Such means includes an actuating lever 4| 9|)V having an integral hub portion which is rotatably mounted upon the shaft |80. The upper end of the member |90 projects to a position behind the upstandingportion of the member |82, as indicated at |92, and is provided with an adjustable set screw |94. Thus, as the wheel E6 is shifted to a position toward the periphery of the disc 68, the member E82 will abut against the set screw |94, thus rocking the arm |98 and the integral hub portion thereof. A laterally offset brake arm |95 is also formed integrally with the hub portion and extends. laterally to a position under the peripheral portion |64' of the disc 68. Such adjacent portion is provided with a brake shoe |98 which is adapted to frictionally engage the peripheral edge |64 to brake the disc.

It will be seen that by setting the screw |913 to a predetermined position the brake will be automatically applied whenY the wheel 66 reaches a predetermined position with respect to the drum B8. The speed of the drum is controlled by the operator depending upon the amount of Wire wound on the reel or upon the position of the incoming wire with respect to the peripheral edge of the reel, so that the structure just described provides a brake which would be automatically applied when the wire reaches a predetermined position on the reel.

As stated above, itis to be understood that a similar means, including; the lever, associated actuating mechanisma-ndbraking means is provided for each reel. In the' embodiment described, one of the levers is disclosed as extending in one direction and the other lever |10 in the opposite direction, but it will be understood that such levers may beotherwise positioned, for eX- ample, one may be placed. at one end of the frame and the other at the opposite end, with the associated operating elements correspondingly repositioned.

What is claimed is:

l. A reel winch construction comprising a standard, a driving shaft mounted on said standard and adapted to have a wire reel mounted thereon, and friction means for driving. said shaft, said last named means including a disc and Wheel in frictional driving engagement withV each.

other, means mounting said wheel for movement between the center and periphery of said disc..

and means for shifting said wheel along the face of said disc to thereby vary the driving speedsaid.

last named means including a yoke arm operatively connected to said wheel, a pair of spaced wheels mounted on said standard, an endless belt trained over said pair of Wheels and connected to said yoke, and manual means for turning one of said pair of wheels to shift said yoke to thereby vary the speed of said drive.

2. A reel `winch construction comprising a standard, a drive shaft mounted on said stand-1 ard and adapted to have a wire reel mounted thereon, and friction means fordriving said shaft, said last'named means including a disc and wheel in frictional driving engagement with each other,

means mounting said wheel for movement be` tween the center and periphery of said disc, and means for: shifting said wheel along the face of the disc to therebyv vary the driving speed, said last named means including a yoke arm, rollerl bearing means operatively connecting said yoke arm to said` wheel, a pair of spaced wheelsmount-- ed on said standard, an endless belt trained over said pair of wheels and disposed transversely of said disc, meansfconnecting said belt to said yoke,

and manual means for turning one. of said pair of wheels to shift said yokeV in either direction to thereby vary the speed of'said drive.

3. A reel winch construction comprising. a

standard, a drive shaft mounted onsaid standard and adaptedto have a wire reel mountedthereon, and friction means for driving said shaft,

said lastnamed means including a disc andwheel.

in frictional driving engagement with each other,

means mounting said wheel for movement be tweenthe center and periphery of said disc, and

means for shifting said wheel along the face of the disc to thereby vary the driving speed, saidk last named means. including. a yoke arm, roller bearing means operatively connecting said yoke arm to said wheel, a pair of spaced Wheels mounted on. said standard, ani endless belt trained over.

said pairV ofy wheels,` and disposed transversely of said disc, means connecting said beltv to said yoke,

a hand wheel remotely located with respectto oney of said-.pair of wheels, and means includingfan endless: belt connecting said hand wheel to saidY one of said pair of wheels to shift said yoke uponr turning of said hand wheel toy therebygvary the speed ofsaid drive'.

RONALD.v K. HATCH. 

